Kevin Conway WMA Waterfowl Ponds (Phase 1)
Project ID: 5350
Status: Completed
Fiscal Year: 2021
Submitted By: 1481
Project Manager: Tom Platero
PM Agency: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
PM Office: Northeastern Region
Lead: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
WRI Region: Northeastern
Description:
Installation of waterfowl ponds in the Kevin Conway WMA.
Location:
Kevin Conway WMA in Myton Utah.
Project Need
Need For Project:
There is a need on our WMAs for more waterfowl hunting and public access.
Objectives:
Provide public access to the area and waterfowl habitat.
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):
Loss of waterfowl habitat due to drought conditions and encroaching urban development.
Relation To Management Plan:
Habitat Management Plan for Kevin Conway WMA 1. Protection and enhance the areas existing wintering waterfowl values 2. Enhance existing wetlands to provide summer production and fall migration areas for waterfowl. 3. Provide public access for hunting, wildlife viewing, and other wildlife related activities. 4. Enhance uplands to provide forage and cover for upland game species 5. Enhance habitat for other species when commensurate with primary management goals. North American Waterfowl Management Plan Habitat Priority #3 -- Improve the quality of publicly managed habitat.
Fire / Fuels:
Converting upland into wetland and emergent habitat providing a natural firebreak. Creating a green strip serves as a firebreak as well.
Water Quality/Quantity:
Storing water year round within the wetland. Storing it in the area will provide filtration thereby increasing the water quality.
Compliance:
DWR Archeological Clearance for June 23rd. solely on DWR lands so NEPA is not required. Obtain an army corp. of engineers permit. In-house wetland delineation in June.
Methods:
Consulted with a private consultant about the process of installing these ponds. Reviewed GIS and LiDAR data about where to best place the ponds. There will be a cut and fill to the dimensions of the pond. Adjustment of water rights and diversion points to accommodate the new water schedule. Seeding will be done on the emergent and the upland habitat that is adjacent to the pond.
Monitoring:
UDWR habitat and wildlife staff will monitor for flora and fauna productivity. If the seeding does not go successfully, a new planting effort will be pursued.
Partners:
Possible with Mike Fiorelli/ Delta Waterfowl
Future Management:
Continued monitoring and management by the UDWR. Adjusting management of the WMA to match with future priorities.
Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources:
Cleaning the water and eliminating agricultural runoff.
Budget WRI/DWR Other Budget Total In-Kind Grand Total
$35,000.00 $0.00 $35,000.00 $9,800.00 $44,800.00
Item Description WRI Other In-Kind Year
Contractual Services Engineer Consulting $35,000.00 $0.00 $1,800.00 2021
Personal Services (permanent employee) 2 Biologists $0.00 $0.00 $5,000.00 2021
Motor Pool Travel to and from the WMA for vehicle fuels for permanent employees. $0.00 $0.00 $1,000.00 2021
Other Wetland Delineation in-house $0.00 $0.00 $1,000.00 2021
Archaeological Clearance In-house archaeological clearance. $0.00 $0.00 $1,000.00 2021
Funding WRI/DWR Other Funding Total In-Kind Grand Total
$35,000.00 $0.00 $35,000.00 $9,800.00 $44,800.00
Source Phase Description Amount Other In-Kind Year
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) $0.00 $0.00 $9,800.00 2021
SFW Expo Permit ($1.50) S054 $1,400.00 $0.00 $0.00 2022
Federal Aid (PR) P651 $33,600.00 $0.00 $0.00 2021
Species
Species "N" Rank HIG/F Rank
American Beaver
Threat Impact
No Threat NA
Green Sunfish R5
Threat Impact
Conversion from Flood to Sprinkler Irrigation Low
Northern Leopard Frog N5
Threat Impact
Droughts High
Wading Birds
Threat Impact
Not Listed NA
Waterfowl
Threat Impact
Not Listed NA
Mallard R1
Threat Impact
Droughts High
Habitats
Habitat
Emergent
Threat Impact
Agricultural Pollution Low
Emergent
Threat Impact
Conversion from Flood to Sprinkler Irrigation Low
Emergent
Threat Impact
Droughts High
Emergent
Threat Impact
Housing and Urban Areas Low
Emergent
Threat Impact
Temperature Extremes Medium
Emergent
Threat Impact
Water Allocation Policies High
Open Water
Threat Impact
Agricultural Pollution Low
Open Water
Threat Impact
Droughts High
Open Water
Threat Impact
Housing and Urban Areas Medium
Open Water
Threat Impact
Temperature Extremes Unknown
Project Comments
Comment 01/14/2020 Type: 1 Commenter: Natalie Boren
Neat project, I look forward to being able to help diversify the fish species in this area if it works out in the future!
Comment 02/04/2020 Type: 1 Commenter: Kevin Gunnell
For the wetland and riparian planting have you considered transplants and/or some of the wetland plant 'mats' for getting these species established? Robert Edgel out of the Central Region has some experience with the mats and could tell you pros/cons of them. They would need to be much more targeted, but may have more success than seeding. Also, some of the riparian shrubs may be more successful as transplants.
Comment 02/10/2020 Type: 1 Commenter: Tom Platero
Thanks for the suggestion. I contacted Robert last week and he gave me some good advice about the mats. They sound very promising for a smaller project area like we are going to be working with out there.
Comment 02/04/2020 Type: 1 Commenter: Jimi Gragg
You could easily add Northern leopard frog to your list of species. I recall seeing them there. You are proposing to build more frog habitat.
Comment 02/10/2020 Type: 1 Commenter: Tom Platero
Excellent! Thanks for the heads up.
Comment 08/29/2022 Type: 2 Commenter: Alison Whittaker
Please enter any missing expenses, highlighted in rust, on the Finance Page. The other thing I need you to do is to delete your map features and upload them as affected areas since the ponds were not constructed in this phase. When you have completed that please go back to the Completion Form and finalize your report again so I know that it has been completed. Thanks.
Comment 09/06/2022 Type: 2 Commenter: Alison Whittaker
Thanks for making those additions. I have moved this project to completed.
Comment 03/11/2020 Type: 3 Commenter: Alison Whittaker
Tom - Will you take a look at your budget and remove any of the budget items that are already being accounted for in another project? For example, you have seasonal employees listed as in-kind. I am assuming those are the same seasonals that are included in the budget for the WMA maintenance? If that is the case then it should be removed from the budget on this project. I wonder if that is the case with the in-kind you have listed for motor pool as well. Let me know if you have any questions about this. Thanks.
Comment 03/11/2020 Type: 3 Commenter: Tom Platero
Ah. Thank you for catching that. I will get that updated asap.
Completion
Start Date:
07/01/2020
End Date:
08/31/2021
FY Implemented:
2022
Final Methods:
We performed a wetland delineation in-house. We contracted a engineering firm to conduct a feasibility study for the area we want to construct a waterfowl pond in.
Project Narrative:
The Kevin Conway WMA is composed of wetlands and uplands which provide excellent habitat for upland fowl, waterfowl, and big game. The area surrounding the WMA has had multiple ponds installed over the last ten years. To encourage waterfowl to use the WMA, we are hoping to install a pond aimed at providing habitat for the waterfowl that frequent the area. The feasibility study performed by the engineering firm confirmed that we could build a pond in the area. The wetland delineation showed the area that would minimize impacts to the wetlands in the WMA. By providing a pond in the WMA, we are hoping to increase hunting opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts.
Future Management:
In future phases, we hope to install a waterfowl pond that will need minimal maintenance.
Map Features
ID Feature Category Action Treatement/Type
11861 Affected Area
Project Map
Project Map